Tube frame



March 14, 1933.

J. A. GRUNDY E' ALv TUBE FRAME Filed Feb. 24, 1932 Patented Mar. 14, 1933 UNITED STAI l f 1,901,444.l

PHILADELPHIA',l PENNsrLvANIA,

AssIGNoRs 'ro JOIIN BROMLEY & soNs, INCORPORATED', orPHILADELPHIA,I #ENN-` sYLvANIA, A CORPORATION OE PENNSYLVANIA 'Y Y' TUBE' FRAME Y Y Application led February 24,1932. Serial No. 594,764.

This invention relates to improvements in yarn spool carriers or tube frames for use in looms for weaving tufted pilefabrics such as Axminster carpets andrugs.

In the manufacture of wide, seamless rugs, spool carriersl or tube frames are employed in which each carrier or frame is provided with a plurality of co-axially valined yarn spools which are rotatably supported by bearing brackets on the frame b ar thereof.

The object of the invention is to provide a novel, simple and advantageous means for rotatably supporting and connecting the ,ad. jacent ends ofyarn spools, first, whereby the connected spools will be caused to' rotate `in i unison; second, whereby thek spools may. be easily and quickly .applied to and removed from the supporting and connecting means; third, whereby the ends ,of the intermediate spools may be reversed or substituted one for the other when more than two spools are carried by a frame; and, fourth,whereby vari-v ous novel and desirable results are attained.

The invention resides in the elements and the combinations of them hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying the invention, A v

Figure lisV a front viewl of a lyarn spool carrier or tube frame, showing one form of embodiment of the invention, certain parts drawing, illustrating between the ends thereof being brokenaway,

and certain parts being shown in section. j

Figure 2 is a transverseA section thereof, on line2--2ofl3`ig.1., r Y Y Figure 3 is a detail, showing one of the intermediate bearing brackets in the open position. l j Y Figure4 is a vertical section through/one of the intermediate bearing-brackets and apart of the frame bar.

Figure 5 is a detail, showing one ofthe intermediate bearing brackets with therrotatable yspool connecting member removed therefrom. 1 v vFigure 6 is a front vi w of one of the rotatable spool connecting members removed from its bearing bracket. A` y f Figure 7 is a side view thereof. Referring' to the drawing, 3 designates the long frame or body bar of the tube frame or-v es PATENT; ortica' v JAMES A. GRUNEY AND WILLIAM MCR. PAYNE, OE

spool carrier. rllhefrespective ends of the bar i 3 are provided with oppositelydisposed Vchain engaging brackets-4 andlatch arms 5 for con# necting the frame or carrier to thechains-of, the loom which carry the frames successivelyinto, the operative position withrespect to the weaving instrumentalities of thev` loom, in the usual, well-known manner. `r

l The fra-me bar 3 is provided with the'usual tubes 6 or equivalent guiding-.devices through which 'the tuft yarn ends extending from the. yarn spools? fare drawn Iand guided during the weaving'operation. f -1 lVhen two ormore yarn spools 7 Yare carried by the frame carrier, the spools extend in axial alinement, parallelto the frame bar 3, and the outer ends of` the outermost spools are provided with axially projecting pins 8-l forming journals which .extend into bearing openings in bearing brackets orarms-9 which are secured to the brackets 4 and arev ixedly' v .related to the frame bai-r3.

Each journal vorpin-l is slidable-.longi-v i tudinally in sleeve or bushing l()` which is xed in the adjacent end of the. spool,'and the pin 8` is urged outwardly by a .springV 1li.

which is located within'. thev sleeve/10 and. i 4within a bore in the enlarged inner end portion of the sleeve,`as shown` in Fig. l.: ,Outsl ward movement of the pin Sis limited by ,the outer end of the-enlarged.innerfend portion of the pin engaging an inwardly extending iange on the` outerend of the sleeve.- The pin 8 is provided witha collarlQ, which is adapted to engage thebracketQand yielding# ly prevent Outward axial displacement of the spool. Thespring-ll also vpermi'ts'-1the` pin'8 to'k yield inwardly during the applica. tionA of the spool to its bearings@V Y ,l

Mounted 'on the frame barB, between the end spool bearingV brackets y.9, in spaced relation thereto and to each other, are-intermediate spool bearing brackets 17 whichcorrespond v in number .with the `pairs jOfyadj acent and opposing endsof the spools 7 making up the series thereof carried by the frame. Thus it wil be understood that a .framefcarr-ying additional spool. Each spool end adjacent to an intermediate three spools would be provided with two intermediate bearing brackets, and so on, an intermediate bracket being added for each bearing bracket 17 is provided with an raxial journal member comprising a body part 19 ofcylindrical or other suitable form secured within the spool, and a at,platelike journal part 2O projecting from the body part 19, co-axially with the spool and extending trans versely of the spool. axis on the respective sides thereof.

The intermediate bearing brackets 17 are alike in construction and each includes a body portion-.21 having a base flange 22 secured to the frame vbar`3, and a movable element 23 fitted against one side of the body V21V and held'normally in its operative position in parallel contact therewith by a spring 24, which encircles a screw-25- The lscrew 25 projects fixedly from the body portion 21 and through e an openingin theelement 23, andthe spring l. x 24 acts between a head on the screw 25 and 95A the element 23 and urges the latter Vtoward its normal'or :operative position, as shown in Y Figs. 2, 4 and 5, and against the yielding action of which'the upper portion of the element 23 may be moved outwardly from the body portion 21, as shown inFig. 3,"forl a purposehereinafter explained. f -V An annular bearing opening 26'is formed by and between the upper lportions of the body portion 21 and element23 of the bracket 17, and a connecting member 27 is rotatably supported within-the opening 26 co-axially Y y With'the spools 7. The connecting'memb'er 27 kcomprises a cylindricalbody provided withv outwardly'extending flanges 29 o-n the respective'ends thereof which are fitted to rotate in annular grooves 30 formed in the respective sides ofthe body portion 21 and the element 23 ofthe bracket. These flanges 29` serve to prevent axial displacement of the members 27 Within the brackets 17, and the outer surfaces of the flanges are confined within the grooves 30 sothat they `will not present obstructions interfering vwith the easy insertion of vthe spools .7 between the bearing brackets of the tube frame.

Lateraldisplacement ofthe element`23 with respect to the body portion 21, in directions longitudinally of the spools or frame, is prevented by the flanges 29, the screw 25rand a pin 31 projecting xedly from the body portion 21 and'into a slot orv cavity in the element 23. Y 'n Y The' respective end: portions of the connect ingmember 27v ar'e'provided with transversely extending grooves `32 which cross the axis of the member. The grooves in one end portion c ofthe member 27 are out of line with or setA `at angles with relation to the grooves in the other end portion thereof so that the grooves `can extend to orpassthe centerof the memthereof, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the annular wall of the bearing opening 26 retains the parts 20 Within the -grooves 32With their respective spools 7 in axial alinement, and the walls of the groovescause the parts 2O and their spools to be rotated as a unit. j 5

When it is desired to introduce the journal parts 20'to the grooves 32 of the connecting member 27, the upper endv of the element 23 is vmoved outwardly against the actionof the spring 2l,asshown in Fig. v3, thereby yopening a passage between thefupper end portions'of the element 23 and the body portion 21 through which th-e parts 2O may be moved into-and from the grooves 32 and the bearing opening 26 by .transverse Ymovement of the spools carrying the parts 20.-

connecting member-27 and intov the bearing opening 26, we provide the elementv 23 vof thel bearing bracket with-an upwardly extending guide arm 33 provided with a guiding surface im',

34 for guiding the parts 2Ov into the bearing opening 26 and grooves 32l when'the element 23 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 3. The arm 33 also serves as a means for permit- Vting the element 23 to be VVeasily moved to the open position, shown in Fig. 3, either by hand or by the pressure of a journal part 20 against the arm 33 While a spoolis being inserted into the bearing bracket of the frame. f

The flanges 29projectV from the respective ends ofthe member27 between the outer ends of the'grooves y32 thereof,-an'd ythe adjacent sides of the flanges 29 form outwardly flaredv entrance openings'forgguiding the journal parts 20 of the spools into the grooves 32.

"It will now be understood that the spools 7 lmay `beeasily and quickly insertedV into and removed from'the connectingfmembersw27 of 1n order `to facilitate the insertion ofthe 'journal-parts, 2O intothe' groovesy 32 of the the bearing brackets17 byr transversemovef ment of the spools, andthat when vthe spoolsv are applied't'o the Ytube frame, the connecting members 27 Will cause equal rotation ofthe spools. f`

When the outer end of either outermost i spool 7 is appliedV to the tube frame, the outer end of the journal pinl8 is inserted intothe bearing opening in the bracket 9,*the collar/"12V engage'stlie brackets and forces fthe pin "8 in- Y wardly to some extent against the action of the spring 11, and, after the inner end of the spool isy applied to lone ofthe intermediate adjacent spool ends.

' upon the several bearing brackets 17, the spring ll holds itin place therein. f

Each end'of the connecting member 27 is provided with twovof the grooves 32 which cross one another at right angles, as illustrated, and the journal part 20 of the adjacent spool 7 may be inserted into either of the two grooves. The provision of the two grooves makes it unnecessary to turn the connecting member 27 more than a quarter revolution, at the most, to bring a Agroove. 32 into registry with the passage between the upper end portions of the element 23 and body lportion 21 when the part20 is inserted yinto or removed from the bearing bracket.

An important feature of our invention resides in our novel construction which, not only provides for the equal rotation of the spools, but also permits the spools to be applied to and removed from the intermediate bearings of the tube frame by transverse movement of the spools, thereby enabling us to provide a sturdy and durablebearing structurewithin the limited space allowed between Vhen more than two spools are employed in the tube frame, the ends of any intermedi-V ate spool may be reversed and connected to the same intermediate bearing brackets, and any intermediate spool may be substituted for any other and connected to the same intermediate bearing brackets. '.Also the outermost spools may be substituted for one another after lirstA reversing the ends vof each A spool, and this may be done even though but two spools are employed ina tube frame having a single intermediate bearing bracket. These are important considerations in instances where the tuft yarns upon the spools bear particular relations to the pattern ofthe product of the loom, and where the tuft yarns spools cause the spools to bear particular relations to one another for the production of the patternl of the product.

q This is particularly true in avoiding'the errors which have heretofore occurred in rolling or winding the pattern controlling yarns upon the spools with relation'to the ends thereof in cases where the spools have not been r versible or interchangeable, asprovided in our invention. v

Ve claim:

lfln a tube frame, a frame bar, twoy coaxial spools having adjacent end portions j and remote end portions, means on the bar for rotatably supporting vthe remote-end portions of the spools, a

of the spools, a spool connecting member rotatably supported by the bracket and'having transversely extending grooves in the respective end portions thereof, andftransversely extending parts projecting from the adjacent end portions ofthe spools andinto said grooves and adaptedA .te ,engage the ,walls axial spools havingy bearing bracket car-- ried by the bar for the adjacent end portions'V thereof for causing equal rotation therewith,

said parts beingy adaptedv to be inserted into and removed from said grooves by transversey f respective end portions thereof, transverselyextending parts projecting from the ad,- jacent` end portions -offthe spools and into said grooves andadapted to engage the walls thereof for causing equal rot-ation therewith, i

`said parts being adapted tobe inserted into and removed from said grooves by transverse movement ofk said spools, and means for retaining'said parts within said grooves andy operable `to permit ythe same to be inserted i into and removed therefrom. ,n I

In a tube frame, aframelbar, two coadjacent end Aportions and remote end' portions, means on the bar for rotatably supporting the remotev end por-v tions' ofv the spools, a gbearing bracket carried bythelbar for the adjacent end portions of the spools and having a bearing opening therein co-axial with the spools and having opposing walls extending outwardly from said opening andproviding a passage,l a spool connecting member rotatably mounted in said opening and `vhaving transversely extending gro'ovesin the yrespectiveJ .end portionspthereof, and` transversely extending' partsV projecting from the adjacent end por.-

4tions of the vspools and into saidopening and s .said grooves and `adapted to vengage the walls thereof for causing equal rotation therewith,

said parts being adaptedV to be, moved throughr said passage into and from4 saidV grooves. .Y Y.

It. In a tube frame, a frame bar, two coaxial spools having adjacent end portions and remote end portions, means on the bar the spools 'and having a bearing opening therein co-axial withthe spoolsandj having opposing walls vextending outwardly lfrom said opening and. providing a p'iassage, a spool connecting member rotatably mounted in said opening andhaving transversely `ex,-y

tendinggrooves inthe respective .Grid pon tions,V thereof,- and :transversely extending l 125 parts proj ecting fromv the adj acent, end, por# Y tions of the spools and into saidl opening and said grooves and adapted to engage the walls thereof forcausing ,equal rotation therewith,

said parts being adaptedto be moved through Seid, Passes@ inte @rdimm .Said sfeeves, andV one'fof said walls being yield'able relatively to they other and movable therefrom to Vwiden thepassage between them .for Vthe accommodation of said parts. f

5. In a tubeframe, a frame bar, two co axialspools having adjacent end portions and remote end portions, meanson the bar for` rotatably supportingthe remote end portions ofthe spools, a bearing bracket for the adjacent end portions of the spools and comprising a body portion fixedly mounted on said bar and a movable lelement carried'by the body portion and movable relatively thereto toward and from an operative posi'- tion, a spool connecting member extendingv between and rotatably supported by said bodyv portion and ysaid element, parts projecting from the adjacent end portionsY of said spools Y and adapted'to be moved lbetween said body portion and said element into and from within said member `and to engage parts thereof for' equal rotation therewith when within the same, and means 'to' hold said elementin its operative position. n 6.v In a tube frame, a framebar, two coaxial spools having adjacent end portions said bar and a movable and remote end portions, means on the bar for rotatably supporting the remote end'portions of the spools, a bearing bracket for the adjacent end portions of the spoolsand comprising a body portion lixedly mounted on element carried by the body portion and movable from and toward an operative position in close proximity thereto, a spool connecting member extending betw-een and rotatably supported by said body portion and said element, parts project-4 ing from the Aadjacent end portions ofsaid spools and adapted to be` moved between said body Vportion and said element into from within said member and to engage parts thereof for Yequal `rotation therewith whenl within the same', and yieldable means posingvmovement of said' velement from'its normal position.

7. In a tube'frame, a frame bar, two coaxial spools having adjacent end portions and remote end portions, means on the bar for rotatably supporting the remote end portions of thelspools, a bearing bracket for the ad jacent end portion Yof thefspools and com'L prising arbody portion kvfxedly mounted on said i the body portion `and mov ward an operative position inclose proximity thereto, `a spool connecting member extendand rotatably supportedl by V'said jecting from A,the adjacent end portions of said spools and adapted to be movedbetween said body portion and said elementl into and from within said member and to engage parts thereof for 'equal rotation therewith when within the same, yieldable means opposing v movement of said element from'its ynormal bar VandY a movable yelement carried by able from and to', transverse grooves inthe yrespective endpori position, and a guide arm extending .fromv said element and having a guidingsurface forguiding saidparts into positions between said element and said body portion.

V8. A tube frame bearing bracket for-the adjacent ends of co-axial yarn spools, comprising a body portion adapted to be secured to a frame bar and having parts forming a bearingr opening extending therethrough, and a'spool connecting member extending through and Ifrotatably supported in lsaid opening and having transver grooves extending `entirely across the respective end portionsthereof located within said bearing open-ing for receiving complementary parts yof yarn spool journals. i bearing bracket for the 9,. ,A tube frame adjacent endsof ,co-axial yarn spools',"comV prising a body *portionV adaptedto b-e secured to-a frame bar and having-parts forming a bearing opening extending therethrough, and a spool 'connectingmember extending through and rotatably supported in said.

grooves in Y opening and having transverse the respective end portionsthereof for. reoeiving coinplen'ientary'parts' of yarn spool journals, said grooves crossing the axis of the member, an thereof being set at an angle with respect t0 a ygroove inthe other end portion thereof.`

1.0. A tube frame bearing bracket for the adjacent ends of co-axial yarn spools, comprising a body yportion adapted to be secured to 'a frame 4bar and having parts forming a bearing opening extending' therethrough. and a spool 'connecting memberextending d a .groove in one end portionv through and rotatably supported in saidopening and having transverseY grooves' in the respective end portions vthereof and extending within therespective end portions of said opening for receiving complementary `parts of yarn spool journals within said grooves and within vsaid opening. y Y

A-y tube frame bearingbracket for the adjacent ends of co-axial yarn spools, comprising a body portion adapted tobe secured to af frame bar, an element carried Vby the bodyportion and movable relatively the-reto toward and from an operative position, and a spool connecting memberiextending. between and rotatably supported by "said body portion and said element whenthe latter` is in its operative. position, 'said member having tions Vthereof and extending between said body portion and said elementi for receiving complementary partsof'yarn spool journals,

said element whenmovedfrom its operative y positi/on providing an opening between ita-nd Ysaid body portion for the passage of said parts into and from said grooves, and means to hold said-element in its operativeposition.

l2. A vtube frame bearing bracket for 'the adjacentends of oo-'axialya-rn spools, comyso prising a body portion adapted to be secured to a fra-me bar, an element carried by the body portion and movable relatively thereto toward and from an operative position, and a spool connecting member extending between and rotatably supported by said body portion and said element when the latter is in its operative position, said member having transverse grooves in the respective end portions thereof and extending between said body portion and said element for receiving complementary parts o-f yarn spool journals7 said element when moved from its operative position providing an opening between it and said body portion for the passage of said parts into and from said grooves, and yieldable means opposing movement of said element from its operative position.

13. A tube frame bearing bracket for the adjacent ends of co-axial yarn spools, comprising a body portion adapted to be secured to a frame bar, an element carried by the body portion and movable relatively thereto toward and from an operative position, and a spool connecting member extending between and rotatably supported by said body portion and said element when the latter is in its operative position, said member having transverse grooves inthe respective end portions thereof and extending between said body portion and said element for receiving complementary parts of yarn spool journals, said element when moved from its tive end portions thereof and having transtive end portions thereof and having transverse grooves in the respective end portions thereof extending between said ,flanges and..`

into the body portion inwardly of the flanges for receiving complementary partsy of yarn spool journals, said grooves crossing the axis"v of said body, and a groove in one end portion thereof being set at an angle with respect to a groove in the other end portion thereof.

tures. 'JAMES A. GRUNDY, Y WILLIAM MCK. PAYNE.vv

operative position providing an opening between it and said body portion for the passage of said parts into and from said grooves, means to hold said elementin its operative position, and a guide arm extending from said element and having a guiding surface for guiding said parts into said opening.

14. A connecting memberv for the journals of adjacent ends of co-axial yarn spools of a tube frame, comprising a body having a cylindrical portion adapted to rotate in a bearing and having transverse grooves extending entirely across the respective end portions thereof and extending into said cy- Y lindrical portion for receiving complementary parts of yarn spool journals.

15. A connecting member for the journals of adjacent ends of co-axial yarn spools of a tube frame, comprising a cylindrical body adapted to rotate in a bearing and having transverse grooves in the respective end portions thereof for receiving complementary parts of yarn spool journals, said groovesV crossing the axis of said body, and a groove in one end portion thereof being set at an angle with respect to a groove inthe other end portion thereof.

16. A connecting member for the journals of adjacent ends o-f co-axial yarn spools of a tube frame, comprising a cylindrical body adapted to rotate in a bearing and having parallel flanges projecting from the respec- In testimony whereof we alfx our signa- 

